Are my macros correct?

[allie_2]

I’m F21 5’5 and 143 lbs

I got a workout plan and my macros from a vegan trainer

My calorie intake goal is 1700 calories per day and my macros are:

Protein: 30% - 128g
Carbs: 40% - 170g
Fat: 30% - 57g

At first I thought the protein was a bit on the higher side (0.9 x my weight lbs) but a source online suggested that if you’re in a calorie deficit it’s helpful to add on a greater amount of protein because it’ll help you preserve your muscles

The fat at 30% also looked pretty high to me since fat can be (0.25-0.30 x my weight lbs) but is it because you want the amount of fat you consume in grams to be about half the amount protein you’re consuming? Also since im a woman and I’ve heard fat is extremely essential for women it would make sense that it’s at a higher percentage? (Ofc fat is essential for everyone)

Lastly the carbs. I was surprised because I thought the carbs were on the lower side. I was expecting 50% of my calories to be from carbs but if the above two points hold true then I guess my carbs would be adequate.

Is 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fat an optimal balance? My goal is to lose fat/tone up. Thank you!

I also saw an article online say that 25% protein, 45% carbs and 30% fat are the “best” vegan macros

 

[daddylopez1963]

@allie_2 This looks good for weight loss. I think you should just trust your trainer. If you keep reading online you'll just get more conflicting opinions which will seed further doubt in your mind and lead to nothing helpful. If you hired a good trainer then this is their job. Have faith in them that they know what they're doing.

Protein and fat are more satiating than carbs, which can help feeling full while on a calorie deficit. Higher protein consumption is important when on a calorie deficit to help prevent muscle loss. 128g is reasonable for someone of your weight and body fat percentage.

Fat is important especially for women to maintain good hormonal balance. You're not at risk for hormonal imbalance at your weight, but if you start losing fat then it becomes even more important to ensure intake of fat.

Carbs are just a filler and fuel source. They're lower because you're targeting a calorie deficit. When you increase your calories later then your carbs will be increased too.

There's no such thing as the "best" vegan macros. Macros are personal and should be adapted over time based on your progress. Again, trust your trainer that they know what they're doing. They'll likely adjust your macros as time progresses.

 

[allie_2]

@daddylopez1963 Thanks so much for your comment that helps a lot!The high protein and fat make so much sense now since it’s a calorie deficit.

May I ask you another question? Is 128g of protein hard to hit? I pulled up my fitness pal and scanned some of the meals from the recipe book/ unpersonalized meal plan that was provided and so far it’s really hard to hit 128g of protein while staying within 170g of carbs. This is my first time ever eating with macros in mind. Do I just have to really look for high protein recipes with replace more of the carbs for protein?

 

[daddylopez1963]

@allie_2 Without supplementation or processed foods it'll be hard to hit. I can hit it easily with beans but I have higher carb intake. You'll need to rely on protein powder and/or mock meats. Most whole food plant based protein options are high in carbs.

Another option though is to use yeast. You can integrate more nutritional yeast into your recipe, or you can use brewer's yeast. A common meal I make is chickpeas mixed with yeast and spices. Nutritional yeast is cheesy in flavor, whereas brewer's yeast is bitter. If you toast brewer's yeast then it becomes sweeter.

 

[allie_2]

@daddylopez1963 Yeah that was my main problem, whenever I would add food that’s high in protein the carbs would be even higher so even when I would get somewhat close to my protein goal my carbs were over the limit.

By supplements do you mean protein powder? Oh yeah I like nutritional yeast, I didn’t know nutritional yeast was high in protein

 

[daddylopez1963]

@allie_2 Yes, protein powder

 

[allie_2]

@daddylopez1963 Ah okay, I already added a smoothie with protein powder in my hypothetical meal plan but that still kept me below my protein goals by about 25g. How many times a day would you recommend protein powder? I believe one serving is around 25g so if I were to hit my macros that may require 2 servings

 

[daddylopez1963]

@allie_2 Two servings of protein powder is fine

 

[allie_2]

@daddylopez1963 Alright sounds great, thank you!

 

[corn4ahead]

@allie_2 Lookup a basic seitan recipe, its super easy to make. Very high protein and low carb.

 

[allie_2]

@corn4ahead Seitan is so good! Will do!

 

[influx]

@allie_2 This looks pretty solid for a caloric deficit. I could see MAYBE a 5% drop in fats and 5% increase for protein, but honestly this is fine. As another commenter said, macros are person-specific and will take a while to get exactly right, but the trainer seems to have a pretty good balance for you here

 

[allie_2]

@influx That sounds great, thank you!

 

[josho]

@allie_2 Personally I'd find that very difficult to stick to. I feel and perform best at about 80% carb, 12% protein, 8% fat. Often it slips to about 70/15/15, but my digestive system isn't happy about so much fat.

 

[allie_2]

@josho That’s how much I normally eat too, I absolutely love carbs and I like to eat healthy foods are high in carbs. Do you find it easy to gain/maintain muscle with 15% of your calories from carbs? I’m actually going to be in a caloric deficit and I’ve heard that higher protein and fats help keep you full that’s why my trainer did the above macro split but idk I think high carb keeps me pretty full. I’ll have to try it out and see.

 

[josho]

@allie_2 I can't feel full without carbs.

I don't really do deliberate muscle building exercises, but I have huge calves from running. My arms also look pretty toned from the short yoga routine I do after runs to stretch out.

 

[allie_2]

@josho Ah okay that’s cool! Yeah I don’t want to build a significant amount of muscle either, I feel like I’m already toned just want to lose some fat and stay toned or get a bit more toned. I’m unsure what my optimal macros would be in that case. I think I’ll have to try out what my trainer recommended and with some trial and error I’ll be able to figure it out